PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will have to serve out his remaining 16 months of his five-year jail sentence after the Federal Court dismissed his review application to set aside his sodomy conviction today.

In a unanimous decision, a five-man panel chaired by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin ruled that there was no merit in the application.

“The court finds that there is no merit in this application and that this not a fit and proper case to be heard in this court,” the judge said.

In his review application, Anwar is seeking the court to invoke Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 and review the decision of the previous five-member panel of the Federal Court, led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria.

Alternatively, he wants the Federal Court to re-hear his appeal on its merits.

Following the decision today, Anwar who has now served a year and 10 months in jail will have to complete his five-year jail term.

Anwar, 68, filed the review application on April 30 last year after the Federal Court on Feb 10 last year affirmed his guilt for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 31.

The others presiding were Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, Federal Court judges, Tan Sri Hasan Lah, Tan Sri Abu Samah Nordin and Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd